Five-team title race heats up as Floriana have good chance to regain sole leadership
With joint leaders Floriana and Valletta unexpectedly losing their matches against Gudja and Birkirkara respectively the past weekend, the local Premier League title race has again become a five-horse battle.
At present, Valletta and Floriana are on 35 points, just one point ahead of Hibernians and Sirens. Gzira follow in 5th place, but three points behind the leaders. And there are still eight matches till the end of the campaign.
It has definitely become a very interesting battle for the top places. In fact, the race is not restricted just for the title, but also for the two places on offer in next season’s Europa League (2nd and 3rd placed, and possibly 4th depending on who goes on to win the FA Trophy).
The 19th round is being played between today and tomorrow as on Sunday, there will be no Premier League football because of the Carnival festivities.
Four of the title-chasing teams will be in action this evening. Floriana face Tarxien, Sirens take on Sliema W. and Gzira take on direct challengers and defending champions Valletta.
Tomorrow, Hibernians will be facing none other than the inform Birkirkara, conquerors of Valletta to the tune of 4-1 last Sunday.
In the other matches, Senglea face Sta Lucia in a match which the yellow reds must win to keep their hopes of avoiding relegation alive.
The other two matches are Gudja-Balzan and Mosta-Hamrun S.
The Gzira-Valletta encounter takes pride of place this time.
The past weekend’s results enabled the Maroons to get back strongly in contention having overcome Balzan’s strong challenge.
Gzira are now confident that they are back on the right track after a lean period which saw them losing two games and drawing the other prior to last Sunday’s win.
Their opponents, Valletta slipped badly last Sunday as they were humiliated by
Birkirkara to the tune of 4-1.
It was a miserable performance by the champions who must be at their very best behaviour to overcome this obstacle to remain in touch with Floriana, who are now expected to return to winning form against Tarxien.
In fact, this match is obviously a good chance for the Greens who may regain the sole leadership if they win the three points and the Gzira-Valletta clash ends in a draw.
After having suffered an unexpected defeat at the hands of Gudja, the Greens will be expected to go all out against the bottom club, luckless Tarxien, who seem to be already resigned to their fate – relegation.
Hibernians are certainly aware that it will not be an easy task to gain maximum points against the ebullient Birkirkara who were simply superb in crushing Valletta on Sunday.
In the first round, Birkirkara had managed to beat the Paolites 1-0, but this time, even the Paolites are coming from an impressive 3-1 win over Mosta last Saturday.
It should be another close game with both sides aiming for the three points.
Of the remaining matches, the most important is that from the bottom part of the standings, between Senglea and Sta Lucia.
It is a must win match for Senglea, who are aware that if Sliema win and they lose, they will be distanced by a massive seven points, which might be too big to bridge till the end of the campaign.
As for the Saints, it is also an important match as they eye the three points to move seven points ahead of Senglea and possible join or overtake Sliema and Gudja.
These two teams do not have an easy task either. Sliema take on 4th placed Sirens today, while Gudja face mid-table placed Balzan tomorrow.
Sliema, who only managed to beat a plucky Tarxien side with a very late strike, must be aware that their opponents, Sirens, are seriously back in the hunt for an unlikely first-ever title – they lie 4th – just one point behind the joint leaders.
The other match between Mosta and Hamrun Spartans is a mid-table clash. Both teams are on 22 points, but they will certainly aim for the points to move further away from the relegation zone. Of course, they are not yet safe from the Drop.
Today National Stadium
Bank of Valletta Premier League 6pm Sirens-Sliema W.
8pm Gzira U.-Valletta
Hibernians Stadium
Bank of Valletta Premier League 7pm Tarxien R.-Floriana
Centenary Stadium
UEFA Girls U-16 Development tournament
2pm Vittoriosa S.-St Andrews 4.15pm Zejtun C.-Swieqi U.
Victor Tedesco Stadium
Bank of Valletta first division 6pm Fgura-Pembroke 8.15pm Zejtun-Qrendi
Tomorrow National Stadium
Bank of Valletta Premier League 2pm Mosta-Hamrun S.
4pm Birkirkara-Hibernians
Hibernians Stadium
Bank of Valletta Premier League 2pm Gudja-Balzan
4pm Senglea-Sta. Lucia
Victor Tedesco Stadium
Bank of Valletta first division 2pm Pieta H.-Zebbug R. 4.15pm Vittoriosa S.-Lija Ath.
Luxol Stadium
Bank of Valletta second division 2pm Marsa-Melita
4.15pm Luqa SA-Zurrieq
Sirens Stadium
Bank of Valletta third division 2pm Ghaxaq-Ta’ Xbiex 4.15pm Attard-Mtarfa
Basketball
Ta’ Qali pavilion
Bank of Valletta Men’s league 4.15pm Luxol-Gzira Athleta
Handball
University Sports Hall
Men’s first division
3pm Swieqi Yobetit PhoenixKavallieri RS2
4.30pm Luxool Orthopaedic Centre Malta-ETE Valletta
Sunday
Football
Centenary Stadium
UEFA Girls U-16 Development tournament
10.30am Azerbaijan-Scotland 1.30pm Malta-Gibraltar
Bank of Valletta second division 11am Rabat-Kalkara
1.15pm San Gwann-Xghajra T. 3.30pm Zabbar SP-Mellieha
Luxol Stadium
Bank of Valletta third division 2pm Dingli S.-Msida SJ 4.15pm Marsascala-Mdina K.
Sirens Stadium
Bank of Valletta third division 2pm Kirkop-St Venera L. 4.15pm Siggiewi-Gharghur
Basketball
Ta’ Qali pavilion
Bank of Valletta Men’s league 12.45pm Depiro-Starlites GiG 4.15pm Luxol-Gzira Athleta
MAPFRE MSV league
11am Arms Depiro-Luxol 2.30pm Hibernians-Starlites GiG
Life
women’s
Handball
University Sports Hall
Men’s first division
12.30pm Hamrun Gasan MamoAloysians Sixt
2pm HMS-La Salle
Monday
Football
Victor Tedesco Stadium
Bank of Valletta first division 6pm St George’s-Mqabba 8.15pm Naxxar L.-St Andrews
Centenary Stadium
Bank of Valletta second division 7pm Marasaxlokk-B’buga SP
Photo: Domenic Aquilina